Long ago the Ancients waged an apocalyptic war to end all war. A reign of nuclear bombs obliterated civilization in a few minutes of blazing horror. It was the end of the world - Doomsday - Skydark. With the first nuclear explosion, the tissue thin tapestry of civilization was ripped apart. The rule of law was replaced overnight with the somber draconian edict of survival of the fittest. Cannibals hunted prey. Cold hearts brutally raided farms. And slavers seized anybody they could as chattel. Electricity was seldom seen. Starvation universal. Rape a daily event. Death the only known means of escape.
If you remember RPG’s like Morrow Project, Gamma World, or TV shows like Ark II and Thundarr the Barbarian, or movies like Genesis II, you will be right at home. I plan to concentrate more on Morrow Project type alterations rather than the rather comic bookish Gamma World or Thundarr.
*****
From the ashes of the old world civilization once more struggles to emerge… The people of the Enclave of Kirlan struggle to eke out a miserable existence, constantly tormented and threatened by the Emperor McAlester - who demands tributes. Additional threats come from road trash (bandits), poachers, and mutated animals.
Civilization has reverted to another Dark Age. Literacy, technology, culture, are all things of the past. The very ecologic and geologic balances are in upheaval. California is gone - underwater. They said it would happen and they were right. There are acid rains, superstorms, cannibals and dangerous mutations. Villes are often ruled by despotic barons - tyrants who rule by strength. Good barons rarely ever last and are few and far between. You can hardly trust anyone anymore.
You grew up in the Kirlan Enclave and are what passes for an journeyman archaeologist in the current era - a member of a secret society devoted to discovery and preservation of the knowledge of the Ancients known as the Preservationists. You are one of the rare few who have been schooled in the writings of the Ancients, educated by the Masters of the University of the Kerke Enclave. You were chosen to ascend to the top of Sandia to give your oath to seek and protect the truth. If the Emperor was to learn of your society’s existence he would capture, interrogate, and slay every last member - and take any items of technology for himself.
Once you had achieved journeyman status you were permitted to enter the Kerke Valley making use of one of the Ancient Rad suits and search the ruins of Kerke for artifacts. In truth there has always been little to find - nothing of much use. Anything exposed made of paper is usually rotted into dust. But every now and then one gets lucky. The general air is safe enough, but in the nooks and crannies of building remnants, radiation hasn’t been swept away by wind and rain. So the Rad suit and a special air tank are required. The geigers always gave a steady clicking that warns of death. Only a very few of those still work.
He was your discovery - the Sleeping God - made no more than a month ago. You had discovered shaft that descended into the earth, possibly concealing a bunker. In truth you had broken through and fallen some 200 feet straight down but rather than falling to your death the air itself had caught you and allowed you to land gently. You found yourself speaking to a disembodied voice that spoke in the languages of the Ancients. You couldn’t understand it at first, but it learned your language so fast that soon it was able to make itself understood. It asked for your name and purpose of visit, ordering you to look at a floating sphere.
The sphere, of course, was no more than a security program. It showed no appointments and didn’t exactly have your name on file. Then it asked if you would like to schedule an appointment. Once your very short visit was “concluded”, the floor opened up beneath you and the hardened air lowered you to the floor of a room with sliding doors. The air glowed red and dimmed.
“Warning, radiation detected. Your suit has exceeded operational specifications. Please follow the sphere CBR shower where you will be sanitized and given a medical exam for your safety.”
Kirlan
The language of Kirlan is a dialect that has evolved from English and Spanish. Even those who know the language of Ancients can’t really speak it (no more than the Sleeping God will speak your language at first). Kirlan is a word that evolved from Kirtland - as in the name of the USAF base. Kerke is, in fact, Albuquerque, NM.
About Mutants:
There are various kinds of mutations. Truth to tell, most mutations are bad. They are simply genetic errors. However a number of mutations have become standard and common enough to make the results a whole new species. Also, humans have developed a few mutations that are common enough to have names. However, most muties are highly distrusted as foul corrupt things.
Nearly always hostile
Stickies - These are humanoids with fingers ending in powerful sucker tips. The suction is strong enough to rend flesh. Stickies eat humans. They are drawn to fire and loud noise - though their hearing is poor. They delight in torturing their victims before killing them. They are extremely hard to kill. The best way is a headshot.
Swampies - Tougher versions of Stickies. Amphibious. Otherwise, much like Stickies.
Scalies - Humanoids with reptilian skin and features. Otherwise much like stickies.
Animal Mutations
Common mutations include, chimeric blending (such as mammals with reptilian features, winged crocodiles), Gigantism / Dwarfism, heightened intelligence. Less common mutations include psionics, dual skeletal systems, etc.
If you remember RPG’s like Morrow Project, Gamma World, or TV shows like Ark II and Thundarr the Barbarian, or movies like Genesis II, you will be right at home. I plan to concentrate more on Morrow Project type alterations rather than the rather comic bookish Gamma World or Thundarr.
*****
From the ashes of the old world civilization once more struggles to emerge… The people of the Enclave of Kirlan struggle to eke out a miserable existence, constantly tormented and threatened by the Emperor McAlester - who demands tributes. Additional threats come from road trash (bandits), poachers, and mutated animals.
Civilization has reverted to another Dark Age. Literacy, technology, culture, are all things of the past. The very ecologic and geologic balances are in upheaval. California is gone - underwater. They said it would happen and they were right. There are acid rains, superstorms, cannibals and dangerous mutations. Villes are often ruled by despotic barons - tyrants who rule by strength. Good barons rarely ever last and are few and far between. You can hardly trust anyone anymore.
You grew up in the Kirlan Enclave and are what passes for an journeyman archaeologist in the current era - a member of a secret society devoted to discovery and preservation of the knowledge of the Ancients known as the Preservationists. You are one of the rare few who have been schooled in the writings of the Ancients, educated by the Masters of the University of the Kerke Enclave. You were chosen to ascend to the top of Sandia to give your oath to seek and protect the truth. If the Emperor was to learn of your society’s existence he would capture, interrogate, and slay every last member - and take any items of technology for himself.
Once you had achieved journeyman status you were permitted to enter the Kerke Valley making use of one of the Ancient Rad suits and search the ruins of Kerke for artifacts. In truth there has always been little to find - nothing of much use. Anything exposed made of paper is usually rotted into dust. But every now and then one gets lucky. The general air is safe enough, but in the nooks and crannies of building remnants, radiation hasn’t been swept away by wind and rain. So the Rad suit and a special air tank are required. The geigers always gave a steady clicking that warns of death. Only a very few of those still work.
He was your discovery - the Sleeping God - made no more than a month ago. You had discovered shaft that descended into the earth, possibly concealing a bunker. In truth you had broken through and fallen some 200 feet straight down but rather than falling to your death the air itself had caught you and allowed you to land gently. You found yourself speaking to a disembodied voice that spoke in the languages of the Ancients. You couldn’t understand it at first, but it learned your language so fast that soon it was able to make itself understood. It asked for your name and purpose of visit, ordering you to look at a floating sphere.
The sphere, of course, was no more than a security program. It showed no appointments and didn’t exactly have your name on file. Then it asked if you would like to schedule an appointment. Once your very short visit was “concluded”, the floor opened up beneath you and the hardened air lowered you to the floor of a room with sliding doors. The air glowed red and dimmed.
“Warning, radiation detected. Your suit has exceeded operational specifications. Please follow the sphere CBR shower where you will be sanitized and given a medical exam for your safety.”
Kirlan
The language of Kirlan is a dialect that has evolved from English and Spanish. Even those who know the language of Ancients can’t really speak it (no more than the Sleeping God will speak your language at first). Kirlan is a word that evolved from Kirtland - as in the name of the USAF base. Kerke is, in fact, Albuquerque, NM.
About Mutants:
There are various kinds of mutations. Truth to tell, most mutations are bad. They are simply genetic errors. However a number of mutations have become standard and common enough to make the results a whole new species. Also, humans have developed a few mutations that are common enough to have names. However, most muties are highly distrusted as foul corrupt things.
Nearly always hostile
Stickies - These are humanoids with fingers ending in powerful sucker tips. The suction is strong enough to rend flesh. Stickies eat humans. They are drawn to fire and loud noise - though their hearing is poor. They delight in torturing their victims before killing them. They are extremely hard to kill. The best way is a headshot.
Swampies - Tougher versions of Stickies. Amphibious. Otherwise, much like Stickies.
Scalies - Humanoids with reptilian skin and features. Otherwise much like stickies.
Animal Mutations
Common mutations include, chimeric blending (such as mammals with reptilian features, winged crocodiles), Gigantism / Dwarfism, heightened intelligence. Less common mutations include psionics, dual skeletal systems, etc.
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